Where The Newspaper Stands

December 21, 2002

Don't drive drunk

Prevention and enforcement this holiday season

One sign that humans are capable of progress is that getting tanked at the office party and then driving home is no longer socially acceptable. Nor is getting plastered at the country club and then hopping in the car. Nor is getting wasted at a bar or friend's apartment and then hitting the road.

Years of education and enforcement have saved lives: Twenty years ago, 56 percent of fatal car crashes involved alcohol; last year only 36 percent of vehicle accidents were alcohol related.

Virginia has special cause for pride: Only seven states have lower alcohol-related traffic death rates than the commonwealth.

Yet whenever an individual dies because of alcohol-induced recklessness, that is one tragedy too many. With the holidays bearing down, now is the time to redouble efforts to promote responsible drinking and safe driving.

Vigilant police and tough prosecutors are welcome allies in the fight against drunken driving, but they can do only so much -- and often what they do comes after the harm has been done.

The first line of defense is personal responsibility.

If you drink, don't drive.

If you're going somewhere with friends and you know people will be drinking, agree beforehand on who will be the designated driver -- the person who stays alcohol-free and drives everyone home safely.

Don't let anyone who is impaired by drugs or alcohol drive a car.

And remember, no matter how seriously you take the responsibility to drive sober, there are drivers who are drunk. So stay alert. Drive defensively. Have a safe, happy holiday.